1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand tool. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hand tool for driving, and selectively illuminating through, a conventional socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for screwdrivers have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,962 to Hsiao teaches a screwdriver having a lamp holder mounted at one end of the handle around the driving shank, and a lamp and battery assembly mounted within a recessed hole on the lamp holder, wherein the lamp is turned on to give off light when the lamp and battery assembly is depressed, or turned off when the lamp and battery assembly is released from the hand.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,668 to Kozak teaches a multi-function screwdriver that has a handle with first and second ends that support a pair of removable and reversible screwdriver tips therein. The handle has first and second axial bores in each of the ends with the second bores of a greater diameter but lesser depth than the corresponding ones of the first bores. The second bores in the handle each have a bushing disposed therein which is suitable sized and configured for axial and radial retention. The removable and reversible screwdriver tips are each operatively associated with one of the first and second ends of the handle. The screwdriver tips each have an elongated shank of non-circular cross-section and a driving tip on each of opposite ends thereof. The bushings also each have an inner surface of non-circular cross-section for receiving at least one of the screwdriver tips therein. With this arrangement, the bushings are sized and shaped to transmit torque applied to the handle to fasteners through the elongated shanks and the driving tips of the removable and reversible screwdriver tips.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,612 to Anderson teaches an ergonomic, improved multiple bit storing hand tool that provides storage capacity for a large number of bits while minimizing bulk material volume and hand gripping member cross sectional area so as to provide for increased gripping ability. The improved multiple bit storing hand tool includes a non-cylindrical, elongated, hand gripping portion having corners and a central axis substantially parallel to a plurality of substantially parallel corner axes of the corners. In a variant, the corner axes are generally lobular and include epicycloidal portions thereof. Each of the substantially parallel corner axes are substantially equidistant from the central axis and substantially equidistant one from another. A plurality of elongated storage compartments having compartment axes are substantially parallel to the parallel corner axes and the central axis. A plurality of the elongated storage compartment axes are substantially disposed at a point on an imaginary line connecting the central axis and each of the parallel corner axes. The number of bits stored within the multiple bit storing hand tool is maximized while the elongated hand gripping portion of the hand tool is minimized in bulk volume and weight as compared to a conventional tool having a cylindrical hand gripping portion.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for screwdrivers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand tool for driving, and selectively illuminating through, a conventional socket that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand tool for driving, and selectively illuminating through, a conventional socket that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand tool for driving, and selectively illuminating through, a conventional socket that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a hand tool that drives, and selectively illuminates through, a conventional socket, and which includes a handle, a shaft, a tip, and illuminating apparatus. The handle has a throughbore. The shaft is fixedly received in the handle and has a throughbore that communicates with the throughbore in the handle. The tip extends from the shaft and engages in the conventional socket and has a throughbore that communicates with the throughbore in the shaft. The illuminating apparatus includes a fiber optic strand, a module, and a light. The fiber optic strand extends in the throughbores in the handle, the shaft, and the tip. The module is replaceably attached to the handle and includes a case and a dial switch. The case holds a battery, contains a battery interface, and has a throughbore and a collar that threadably engages in the handle. The collar has a throughbore that communicates with the throughbore in the case and the throughbore in the handle. The light sits in the throughbore in the case, electrically communicates with the battery interface, and illuminates through the throughbore in the collar and through the fiber optic strand so as to illuminate through the conventional socket. The dial switch is rotatably mounted to the case and electrically communicates with the battery interface so as to selectively illuminate the light when rotated accordingly.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.
The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:
FIG. 1 a diagrammatic perspective view of the present invention in use;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded diagrammatic side elevational view of the area generally enclosed by the dotted curve identified by arrow 2 in FIG. 1 of the present invention cooperating with a conventional socket;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic cross sectional view of the area generally enclosed in the dotted curve identified by arrow 3 in FIG. 2 of the power connection of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic end view taken generally in the direction of arrow 4 in FIG. 2 of the socket interface of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic end view taken generally in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 2 of a prior art conventional socket to be utilized with, but is not a part of, the present invention.